The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
THR LORDS PRAYER.

JESUS not only cautioned the disciples
against improper motives for, and forms of.
prayer, but he gave them a model expressing
the true form and spirit of all prayer. The
prayer which JESUS commended to his disci-
Piles is called "The Lords Prayer" We
have no reason to believe, either from the
teaching or example of JESUS, that he in
tended this to be exclusively used as the only
proper form of words for prayer. 1t was
given as an illustration of a true prayer,
such as GoD would bless, expressed in words.
Do not initiate then (the heather, who
thought they would be heard for their many
repetitions), for GoD your Father knows
what things yod need before you ask Him.
Thus then pray you:
Our Father who artl in the heavens,
Hallowed be Thy name;
Thy reign come:
Thy will be accomplished, as in heaven, 80
in earth;
Give us to- day our sufficient bread;
And forgive US our debts, as we have for
given our debtors;
And bring us not into temptation,
But save as from the evil.
-Rev. j. w. Hanson, d. D., " The New
Covenant"
The "Model Prayer" or prayer of Pray
ers," is expressive of the spirit of true sub
jects of the kingdom of heaven, which is the
reign government of Cop, the heavenly
Father, over his His children, the souls of
men. GoD is recognized as the Father of
mankind. Some restrict the Divine Father
hood expressed in the Lords Prayer to the
disciples. 1t is true that the disciples, or
Christians, acknowledge their relation to
COP, and so are specially and pre- eminently
His children. But He is the heavenly Father
of all men, and their ignorance or disregard
of their relation to Him cannot change His
relation to them. The sacredness of His
name is reverently acknowledged. The de-
sire of obedience to the will of GOD is ex-
pressed, and that the heavenly reign may be
accomplished in the earth. Sufficient daily
food is asked, the forgiveness of sins deots,
unfulfilled obligations of obedience], and
preservation from adversely [temptationl
and evil. EVIL one" according to the Re-
vised Version, is more than is verbally ex-
pressed in the original as the italics, in
which zone" is printed, plainly show. 1t is
impossible to determine the gender of the
Greek form tou ponerou. 1t may be either
neuter or masculine, that is, abstract evil or
an evil person. Evil in the abstract, or all
evil, is more probably meant than an evil
person. The Old Version is preferable to the
Revised. But even if the form is masculine,
and therefore personal, it may be personi6-
cation, and not personality, that is meant.
The doxology with which the Lords Prayer
closes in the Common Version is not con-
tanned in the Oldest manuscripts, and is
therefore omitted in the Revision. 1t was
probably added when the prayer came into
use as liturgy. Though no part of the or
iginal prayer composed by our Lord, it may
properly be used as fitting close of the
prayer when employed in our public religious
exercises.
The petition for forgiveness is qualified by
the statement, "as we also have forgiven"
implying the qualification of a forgiving
spirit as essential to the enjoyment of the
divine forgiveness. This is more fully set
forth in verses IA, Is, with which the Lesson
closes. An unforgiving spirit is not the
proper spirit in which to ask or receive the
Divine forgiveness. JESUS afterward illus
/ trsted this truth by the parable of the Insol-
vent Debtors xviii. 23).
For a completer study of the Lords
Prayer, we commend " UniVersalism of the
Lords Prayer" by Rev. ]. G. Adams, D. D.,
and "The Prayer of Prayers" by Rev. ]. W.
Hanson, ID. d.